Girl's Night Out
---- Wren pulled her fingers through her hair, sitting in a backseat of a cab as it cut through downtown Crocus. She was tired, her bones ached with a sleep-deprived heaviness and more than anything, she wished for a moment when she was not keeping secrets. Her entire career was built on secrets, coiling around her throat like a noose. It wasn't even the lies that were suffocating. What tightened the invisible noose was the way Amber looked at her when she lied. Amber looked disappointed and concerned. Two emotions that set an eerie unpleasant jolt through Wren's body when she recognized them. She didn't need to be an object of concern. More than that she didn't want Amber to worry. She wanted to laugh with her, see her smile, and be someone admirable. Wren's train of thought was interrupted when the car settled to a halt at her building. She stepped out with a polite nod and made her way back to her apartment. Skaoi was waiting for her and Wren pick her up and took a moment to twirl and plop them both onto the sofa. "What am I going to do tonight?" Wren mumbled into soft fur. She had already picked out a dress to wear, stunning royal blue that was fancy enough but without drawing excess attention to her. It was, after all, just a surveillance mission. A lavish party to attend and a knight there just in case of an emergency. It would be lonely though. The thought struck her and Wren's breath hitched. She dialed Amber quickly, waiting as it rang, then, she answered. "Are you free tonight?" Wren said hurriedly before Amber could speak. Amber was halfway through a hello when Wren blurted her question. "Mhm, what's up?" she asked. "Do you want to go to a party tonight with me? It's actually at Mercurius, the King is having a ball for the retirement of a councilwoman, and I got an invite and I was wondering if you wanted to come?" "Yes, I would love to join you," she says, adding, "What time should I be ready? And where should we meet up?" "I can pick you up or you could come over here, and probably like, 8?" "You can pick me up. Thank you for the invite." Amber was unable to contain her smile on her end of the call, happy to have the chance to spend time with Wren. Wren hung up the phone with a grin. She lifted Skaoi up over her head in a victorious gesture before softly lowering her pet again. She had four hours to kill. The first thing to do was take a shower. She spent her time reading, catching up on her favorite comedy and making a lackluster dinner of pasta before preparing for the party. She unwound her hair from its braid, brushing it out before part of it back with a pin shaped like a crescent moon. The dress she wore was navy blue and strapless with a flowing skirt that trailed into translucent fabric silver sparkles that caught the light. Wren looked at herself once more in the mirror before deciding last minute to wipe the glitter from her collarbone. She wanted to look good but not enough to draw everyone's attention. Shortly after, she found herself riding in a cab again, zipping across the city to Amber's apartment. Amber had dressed in her finest, which was quite a stretch from her normally casual clothes. Her dress was short, made of pale blue fabric. The bodice hugs her torso and the skirt flares out at the hips, stopping just above her knees. Her hair was pulled up into a bun, a thin braid wrapped around its base. Her phone buzzed, Wren telling her she would be there soon, and she slipped her phone into a clutch before leaving her apartment. She was outside just as the cab pulled up and she slid into the seat beside Wren with a smile on her face. "Thanks again, for inviting me. It's been a while since I've had an excuse to dress up, I was beginning to worry I might never wear this." She giggled, eyes as bright as the dress she wore. "Yeah, no worries! You look great!" Wren grinned and held out her hand. Amber took it and let Wren help her into the car. It shortly started moving afterward. "So, I know this is a big party and I just wanted to say, thank you for coming with me." Amber waves her off, "Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world." The cab ride is filled with small chatter about their excitement for the event, and it is shortly thereafter that they arrive in front of Mercurius. Wren leads her to one of the many ballrooms, the space illuminated with dozens of floating lacrima lights, softly shifting from one shade to another. A live band filled the room with music, making Amber want to dance Wren across the floor. "I remember the last time I was here," she says, a soft look overtaking her, "It was a celebration for graduates who landed on squads." She clears her throat to pull herself from her reverie. "Should we get some punch?" "You can," Wren replied, "I'm going to go talk to the lady of the hour and thank her for the invitation." Wren smiled and drifted away from Amber, deftly maneuvering the hall. She approached a woman with lavender hair, pulled in an updo, who wore a beautiful kimono with teal patterns reminiscent of waves. "Nodoka," Wren greeted kindly, shaking her hand, "Thank you for the invitation. I'm Sariel." Nodoka tilted her head, "Yes, his Majesty told me he had a Holy Knight coming. I thank you for your time, but I don't believe there will be any problem here. Please," She smiled softly, "just enjoy yourself. You look lovely after all." Wren returned the gesture, "You as well. And regardless, I'll be on alert." They parted way, Nodoka swiftly engaged in another conversation and Wren joining Amber by the punch. "Hows it taste? Did they spike it or is it plain?" Amber is sipping her punch when Wren returns. "It's good, and I think it's just plain," she says, adding "There is soda in it." She prepares another cup, handing it to Wren. "She looks familiar," she says, in reference to the woman she had been speaking to. "Would I know her from somewhere?" Wren took a sip of her drink. "That is Nodoka Kosui. She's the first seat of the Wizard Saints and just retired from her position on the council." Amber nods, "No wonder I recognized her." She paused a moment, gears seeming to turn in her mind. "How does she know you? I mean, you graduated top of your class so I can imagine the council had a close eye on you, but after you didn't land in the Rune Knights, I figured most would lose interest. Not that you're not still talented, just the higher-ups usually have fewer concerns with people outside their jurisdiction." She noticed her rambling and quickly shut her mouth. "Sorry, I should've let you answer before talking over you." "Nah it's alright." It conveniently gave me time to think of a lie. Wren thought bitterly. "She's a friend of my Mom's, I've met her once or twice and well, she really is a nice person. I'm surprised she didn't invite half of Crocus." Amber nods, "That's so cool that you know a Wizard Saint, especially the top one. She's really pretty too, and such an effortless combatant. There's not a lot but the videos I have seen of her are insane. She hardly blinks and her enemies are already down!" Noticing her excitement had drawn some wayward glances, she quickly mellows, cheeks flaming. "Sorry," she whispers, taking another sip of her punch to ease her nerves. Wren giggled at her excitement. “You’ve never been to one of these things have you?” Amber shakes her head. "I only come here for work," she says. "Is it really obvious?" Wren shrugged, “A bit. You look great though.” She reached out, snagging two fried green tomatoes off a waiter’s platter. “I’ve been coming to stuff like this since I was a little menace. Mom’s words, not mine. They’re pretty boring, people make toasts, you dance some, the food is good. Then you all go home. I’d just keep your excitement to a low, it’s a tough crowd here.” Amber's blush finds new life at her compliment, trying desperately to wave it off. "You look nice as well," she mumbles, feeling it wholeheartedly but finding her words waver due to her embarrassment. "I'll try to keep that in mind," she says. "Nodoka is retiring pretty early, isn't she? She's been on the council for as long as I can remember but she doesn't seem that old." “Last time I asked her- this was when I was like, eleven- she told me she was in her sixties. She’s way older than she looks. I think maybe she just wants a change of scenery. The council is stressful, plus there’s no way someone has taken her place on the saints. She taught me one of my spells y’know?” Wren smiled at the memory. “I always wanted to fly. My mom, like, my real mom, she could do it. So I tried practicing for hours, read books, recited the name over and over again. And then-“ Wren’s eyes lit up. “Nodoka told me to think of it not as flight, but as pushing the wind to pick me up. And now-” Wren passed her cup into Amber’s hand. A soft breeze ruffled the fabric at the hem of her dress and Wren’s feet slipped off the floor. “I can do this.” Amber nods, eyes shining when she sees Wren lift herself off the ground. Everything about her seemed so light and airy, light as a feather and gentle as a breeze. "What're your parents like?" she asks. Wren was so inspiring and happy and it wasn't hard to imagine an older version of her, features mellowed but no less full of life. Wren grounded herself again. "Well, I'm obviously not from here." Amber took stock of what she meant. It wasn't hard to miss. The way that Wren's ears extended and curved with sharp angles, was inhuman. It was almost obvious that she was an elf. "So, my home Arialyn is probably somewhere between Bosco and Seven. I don't know the exact location anymore. I was young when I walked out of the city with my Vela gif to practice. And I couldn't get back." Wren explained this matter-of-factly. It rarely bothered her anymore. She was a child and made a mistake and she knew there was no way home. "And that's when Azriel found me. She's raised me like I was her kid ever since." Amber nodded slowly to the story, her heart aching for the girl who had lost her home. Despite Wren's tone, she still felt her heart constrict at the idea of being lost and alone. When she concludes, Amber almost didn't catch the name, but once she does, her eyes bug out. "A-Azriel? The Holy Knight, Azriel?" she asked incredulously, trying her best to keep her voice low. "What was Azriel doing in Bosco? Was she looking for you? Why didn't she bring you back to Arialyn?" She knows rattling off questions is rude but it's hard not to voice every single thought racing through her mind. "Arialyn is sealed off with a ward. It's why humans have never found us. Also, I don't know why she was in Bosco. A mission probably." Wren shifted her weight awkwardly. "Anyways Yeah. She's my mom." Amber opened her mouth to ask another question but she couldn't bring the words out. "I'm sorry for asking so many questions," she says, rubbing her forearm. "I should've asked before bombarding you." "It's alright, not many people bother to ask." Amber casts her eyes over to the space around the band, which is unsurprisingly vacant. Most people stuck to the edge of the room or trailed after waiters laden with trays of food. "Do you know how to dance?" Wren smiled, "A bit, I'm pretty good, though I'm out of practice." Amber brightened up, extending her hand, "May I have the next dance?" Wren's eared burned. Her chest felt tight and there was an unfamiliar fluttering sensation in her chest. "Yeah," She said, "That sounds great." Amber curtsied before leading Wren to the empty space in the center of the room. The gazes that followed them caused her palms began to sweat and she did her best to wick it away. She rested a hand on Wren's waist, hoping to high heaven her clammy hands wouldn't ruin the fabric of the dress. She takes a quick breath in to still her mind before she leads them into the first step. She finds the rhythm of the song with her next step, her movements somewhat sharp at first but quickly becoming more relaxed. The longer she stares at Wren, the easier she finds it to forget about the people around them, settling into the gentle lull of the waltz. Wren was light on her feet, following Amber's leading steps as they swung in smooth circles around the room. A flash of color tore her attention away from Amber. It was another couple joining the waltz. More followed after and through the crowd, Wren caught a quick smile from Nodoka before she was whirled away again. "Look at this," Wren spoke softly, "You got all these people to dance." Amber looks away from Wren as she speaks. Flowing skirts and glossy shoes danced across the floor and Amber felt her heart swell. Her smile widened, "I did." The song slowed, softening until it faded completely. The next song began though she didn't move, instead, watching the couples dance around them. "It's beautiful," she says, turning her attention back to Wren's soft lavender gaze. "Thank you for dancing with me." "No problem, thank you for coming." Wren returned Amber's smile with a full out grin. Amber takes Wren's hand in hers and gently leads her to the edge of the crowd, dodging around bright-eyed dancers, much more lively than they had been before. She finds one of the waiters and plucks two quiches off the platter he's holding, offering one to her. "This was really fun Wren, thank you again for inviting me. Ms. Kosui really knows how to throw a party." She takes a bite of the ornately designed pastry, the flaky crust and gooey cheese melting deliciously on her tongue. "I'm not sure how much of it was her idea." Wren laughed, "She's a really humble person." The evening began to wind down and the pair continued to talk as they snatched food off the plates around them. Wren managed to encourage Amber to dance once more and the previous tension between them started to melt. Unlike earlier in the day, Wren truly felt like herself, light and free. Wren escorted Amber to a car, taking another private moment to thank Nodoka for the evening before she went home, stripped the makeup off her face and the clothes off her body before falling asleep.